PRESEASON GAME 2: ORL @ DAL | 105-110 loss

[DanSchwartzgan]

I should note that Hardy wasn't far off from scoring 15 plus points last night.  He had several good looks and a few shots were in and out.   

To me, I wonder if he challenges Frank for remaining minutes that are left over.  Frank is the superior defender and would probably do well if you don't ask him to have any creating responsibilities.   But things don't move well when he is asked to run the team.   The thing with Hardy is running a team is not his thing either.  He wants to get it and shoot it.    But I wonder if there is any chance Hardy gets some minutes as the year goes on?

As I've been saying, there is about a 20 minute role for someone (or some combination of someones) outside the obvious top eight (Luka, SD, THJ, DFS, Bullock, Maxi, Wood, McGee).  The logical candidates are Green, Hardy and Frank and Frank doesn't seem to be a serious contender (if you can base anything off of two scrimmages and two pre-season games).  It would be so great if one of those guys could earn that six minute starter spot at the beginning of halves.  It makes a huge difference in setting up the flow of the rotation and who is available to finish halves (much like they did with Powell in the playoffs).  

If Hardy would just make a pro-level percentage of his open shots (and avoid highly contested shots), there is a spot here to be won.  We won't ever know unless he's given a chance.  It almost has to be a spot with the starters.  It makes no sense for him to play with the Wood/THJ/Dinwiddie bench that is already loaded with scorers.

Note that Maxi finished the half and that Wood played with either McGee or Maxi all of his 14 first half minutes except a minute and a half as lineups were transitioning.  It looks like Maxi/Luka/DFS/Bullock will continue to close halves and someone from among THJ/Dinwiddie or Wood will join them.  With the exception of THJ owing SD a few minutes, last night was probably as close to a regular season rotation as you are going to see IF they decide to let Dinwiddie come off the bench.  The big rotation made sense.  Green comes in as a bench defender as Bullock and DFS are resting.  Wood and THJ provide bench scoring with Dinwiddie running the show.  The question is are they willing to go through the growing pains of the rookie playing six minutes a half against starting level guards.  If not, Dinwiddie or THJ starts and Hardy is competing for second unit shots against the other one (SD or THJ) and Wood (not ideal).  I still think Green plays (as a bench wing defender) even if Hardy is getting some time.  It just won't be the 18 minutes I was hoping for (but I've also said I think Hardy is getting rotation minutes by mid-season, so they have to come from somewhere).  

The developmental stuff for Hardy and Green is fun, but I wonder if come the playoffs we don't wish we had one more guy...even an Alec Burks level guy...soaking up those Hardy/Green minutes.  Let's hope one/both truly emerges.